Spurs forward Rudy Gay has a player option decision to make this offseason, but he tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype that he’s not thinking about that decision yet, using this time instead to watch the NBA postseason and prepare for a vacation. Still, Gay doesn’t sound like a player eager to leave San Antonio after his first year with the Spurs.
“It’s like no other organization in the league,” Gay said of the Spurs. “They are definitely family-oriented – there’s a family atmosphere and family is everything. On the court, it’s very different. It’s the epitome of team basketball. Everyone is playing for each other, and it’s always been that way.”
Gay’s option salary ($8.8MM) is worth about the same amount as the mid-level exception will be worth in 2018/19. So, while he could probably increase his total guarantee by declining his Spurs option and signing a multiyear deal, it’s not clear if he’d be able to exceed that 2018/19 salary on a new contract.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- The Mavericks‘ decision to sign Dwight Powell to a four-year, $37MM+ contract in the summer of 2016 looked a year ago like a misstep, but Powell enjoyed a career year for the team in 2017/18, as Dwain Price of Mavs.com observes. “That contract has been more than fulfilled, and it’s not just the player that you see evolving before your very eyes,” Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. “It’s the leadership in that locker room, and he is a very, very special young man that has taken the next step up.”
- While the Mavericks know they can’t “skip steps” and rush their rebuilding process, they also hope that rebuild isn’t still in its “early stages,” says head coach Rick Carlisle (link via Price at Mavs.com). According to Carlisle, Dallas will be looking to integrate its 2018 lottery pick into the rotation during his rookie year, as the team did with Dennis Smith Jr. this past season.
- In his latest mailbag for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton takes a closer look at Clint Capela‘s continued improvement, exploring whether the Rockets center has a chance to develop into an All-Star. Re-signing Capela as a restricted free agent will be a top priority for Houston this offseason.
- Nick Friedell of ESPN.com explores the ways Rajon Rondo has showed veteran leadership for the Pelicans this season, not just on the court but off it as well. Rondo will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Capela is really good, will be interesting to see how Houston re-signs both Paul and Capela. I’m sure Morey wants to do everything possible to keep Capela but someone might just offer the max for the guy, he’s super young and his best years are ahead of him. If Chris Paul loses this post-season he might tag along with Lebron and maybe join him in Cleveland with Melo to make the banana-boat team.
I can’t see melo exercising his eto to accept a veteran min deal. He knows he will make more next season then he will over the rest of his career. He has never been one to put team before self in terms of contract. I think he takes his $20+ million next season and then goes chasing rings on vet deals
Welp you just never know man. Maybe he really does want to win a ring, you are right though I think he’ll give it another run with Westbrook but only if Paul George signs elsewhere. He’s not going to put himself in the same possession again behind George and Russ.
dont know why it would make sense to pay Capela. Hes a restricted free agent at center, in a league where not many teams are looking for his skillset, in a year where not many teams have much cap space. If I’m Houston, I let him explore his market, and if someone overpays him, let him walk, otherwise they can match a lesser offer or hope he takes his qualifying offer. There are a lot of available bigs right now that you wouldn’t have to pay $17-22 million for
You obviously have no idea how valuable Capela is the the Rockets and their pick and roll offense. Not to mention his rim protecting. Houston will match any offer.
I do know, but I also know how you can have a fascimily of that for significantly less money